A railway vehicle is equipped with an electric motor which drives (enables movement of) the railway vehicle, and a vehicle control device which receives electric power from an overhead line, converts the electric power into power with the required voltage and current for operation of the electric motor, and supplies the electric power of the required voltage and current to the electric motor. When electric power is not supplied from the overhead line due to a power failure or the like, the operation of the electric motor stops so that the railway vehicle stops. Further, when electric power is momentarily not supplied from an overhead line due to a pantograph bounce or the like, electric equipment such as an air conditioner system or an illumination system in a train cabin stops, leading to reduction of services offered to customers on the train. In view of such circumstances, there has been a demand for the continuous supply of electric power to railway equipment such as an electric motor or electric equipment in a cabin even when electric power is not supplied from the outside such as from an overhead line.
In a rail yard where the maintenance of vehicles or the like is performed, overhead lines and third rails are installed. There has been a demand for the elimination of overhead lines in rail yards, from a viewpoint of the cost of construction and installation of the overhead lines, as well as safety. There has been also a demand for the elimination of third rails installed on the ground or at track level in the rail yard from a viewpoint of safety of field personnel to perform the maintenance of the third rails or the like.